TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Padang Search and Rescue Agency in West Sumatra, Abdul Malik, confirmed that 11 hikers were found dead following the eruption of Mount Marapi on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

“As of 07:10 WIB, the joint team managed to find three people alive and 11 people dead,” Abdul said in Padang, Monday, December 4.

According to him, there were a total of 75 hikers. 49 of them were successfully evacuated safely.

Some of the evacuated climbers have been admitted to nearby hospitals in Bukittinggi City and Padang Panjang City for intensive care today. Meanwhile, some have returned to their homes.

“The team is still in the process of evacuating [the hikers] from the summit of Mount Marapi,” he added.

The joint team is also still searching for 12 missing hikers. The Padang SAR Agency could not yet confirm the identities of 11 deceased hikers because the rescue team is still collecting data and conducting rescue operations.

The eruption of Mount Marapi occurred at 14:54 local time on Sunday, Dec. 3. The volcano spewed volcanic ash as high as 3,000 meters into the air, blanketing several nearby villages. People are advised to stay three kilometers away from the volcano’s crater.

ANTARA

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